Interesting Charlotte Experience

[JTApps1]

Let me ask this hypothetical question:

Let's say that Alabama-Birmingham is forced to drop football and is kicked out of Conference USA. Since there longer is a financial motivation for any G5 conference to be at 13 schools (or 14 for that matter), CUSA decides to go to 12 schools. Assuming CUSA navigates through the extremely difficult process of ejecting a conference member, let's say -- hypothetically -- Charlotte gets the boot. (This is highly, highly unlikely, but just for kicks let's say it happens.)

Should the Sun Belt pick up Charlotte, a school with desirable demographics that is smack-dab in the middle of App State's sweet spot but also 10 years away from having a competitive FBS football program?

I would take Charlotte as it would be helpful for us to have a close conference game, but I would like the conference to go after Southern Miss first. I know they are a founding member of that league, but nearly every team they started with is gone from CUSA.

[AppGrad78]

If we are going to make this Sun Belt idea work, we absolutely have to have closer conference opponents. The cost of sending our teams to Louisiana and Texas and beyond will eventually cause us to make some very undesirable financial decisions.

[YesAppCan]

, they got tv contract negotiations coming up in a few years, looks bad when one of your members is content playing in a max seating of 12,000.

Yeah but they are in a great market!!!

[YesAppCan]

Nothing takes the place of tradition...not even money.

Spot on Chris.
... an it takes time to create tradition!

[AppState89]

I like the idea Charlie.... Really a home game for App State....

[NewApp]

If we are going to make this Sun Belt idea work, we absolutely have to have closer conference opponents. The cost of sending our teams to Louisiana and Texas and beyond will eventually cause us to make some very undesirable financial decisions.

RP. Even if it does have to include UNC-C.

[manonabuffalo]

The Whiners have a date with their destiny as Ga State #2. There are just too many similarities to not expect them to rise and fall into FBS just like the Panthers did.

I fully expect them to not win a game next year, even Ga State who they open with next year will take care of business on them.

[ThePeak]

Niners have done well with actual tickets that have been sold. It's the student ticket allocation that needs to be addressed. It will be interesting if they can convert some of those unused tickets to fans in seats. All home games broadcast on local tv was an odd choice too but it brings in dollars I suppose. Lights for night games and a full marching band are going to refine the experience, but probably not enough to overcome some ugly L's next season. With the way the campus is setup tailgating is not going to be traditional experience on a large scale especially with the light rail by the stadium in a few years.

[MJ1988]

I said from the start that UNCC will have to win and win big , not just USA wins, to gain any fan support. Charlotte as a whole simply doesn't care about UNCC. Charlotts populous is from the Northeast and the Midwest. The folks from the northeast don't care about college football and the folks from the Midwest pull for Ohio State and Michigan. The few folks who live in Charlotte and are actually from the area pull for UNC, State, App and ECU. As for the students, the ones who do live on campus pack up and leave on weekends. Unless they get really good really fast it's going to be ugly. I've got a cousin who is a graduate. He was pretty smug about the whole thing last Thankgiving. Lets see what he has to say next week.

[manonabuffalo]

With the amount of drivel thrown our way the minute UNCC decided to go ahead with football, this is karma.

I remember when this program yet to play a down was "better" than anything we could or had produced. The crazed UNCC fans then further dug this hole when the got an invite to CUSA. Instead of being graciously respectful, they rubbed our noses in them making it "big". They still had yet to even play a down at that point, and many of us reminded them it would be a tough road ahead. They blamed us for sour grapes, because at that point we had not received a invite to move. We then got the invite soon after, yet according to them it was " lesser" in value.

The fact that they are where they are now is fitting, almost everyone of my predictions for them came true. Next year they won't win a game, once that prediction happens it will be interesting to see what support they will have left.

[manonabuffalo]

The paper they "own" gave them a mention:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/1 ... Gf9mcmLWwQ


Internet 49er gold here: http://ninernation.net/index.php?topic=33059.0
Mentions of pessimistic fans being closet App fans, etc. They also have completely turned against all of their students.
Best quote: "Just wait till next year when we get the likes of Rice, MTSU, and Louisiana Tech in here. That will bring em out."

[MAD Doctor]

Dear Judy,Judy, Judy
We are truly sorry to hear about your attendance issues. The good news is that we can help. How about dropping one of your NAIA games next year, and move our game up? Add enough temporary seating, and we'll bring your average up well high enough to get the CUSA off your backs.

Sincerely,
APP STATE

[Gonzo]

2018: Welcome to Kidd Brewer East

[WataugaMan]

Dear Judy,Judy, Judy
We are truly sorry to hear about your attendance issues. The good news is that we can help. How about dropping one of your NAIA games next year, and move our game up? Add enough temporary seating, and we'll bring your average up well high enough to get the CUSA off your backs.

Sincerely,
APP STATE

Judy, Judy, Judy

[goapps93]

I watched a little bit of their game on tv last Saturday. During halftime they had long commercial that was all about converting their student body into Niner fans. It showed athletes walking around campus and whenever they came across a student wearing college gear other than UNCC they would track them down, blow a whistle and call a penalty related to the sport the athlete was representing. The student was called out for wearing the wrong gear and given a "Niner Nation" t-shirt to immediately put on. Other than the spot being too long, I'm guessing they would normally show sports specific segments but this time ran the whole thing, it was a pretty good idea that could be addressed at App as well. We've had many conversations on this here board about our students wearing other gear as well. App even had a mention in the piece as one student was wearing an App shirt. She didn't seem to happy to have to accept the "Niner Nation" shirt though.

[clemmonsapp]

We may still have some closet UNC and NCSU fans, but if you had told me (back in the 80's - I know - ancient history) I would come back to ASU and see all the cars and students with Mountaineer gear on I wouldn't have believed you. Boone is, no doubt, ASU territory!

[Gonzo]

The biggest UNCC fan I know has an entire UNC-themed guest bathroom with a Tar Heel mat, shower curtain, etc. I don't think I've ever actually met one whose sole allegiance was to UNC Charlotte. Can't say I blame them, what with the fact that none of them had a real college experience. How can they be expected to emotionally invest?

[BeauFoster]

The biggest UNCC fan I know has an entire UNC-themed guest bathroom with a Tar Heel mat, shower curtain, etc. I don't think I've ever actually met one whose sole allegiance was to UNC Charlotte. Can't say I blame them, what with the fact that none of them had a real college experience. How can they be expected to emotionally invest?

I know one person who doesn't have another allegiance over UNCC. He is a season ticket holder and everything. He once told me (before they had played a down), that their stadium would seat 50k and they would have an invitation into the SEC in hand by 2018. I told him he was effin' nuts. He won't answer my questions about the niners anymore. Wonder why?

All the other UNCC fans I know don't really care one way or the other. A few of them were kinda excited when they announced, but the enthusiasm waned quickly. I've never met a non-UNCC alum who is a fan, and I live in Charlotte (the only place that could happen).

[YesAppCan]

I know one person who doesn't have another allegiance over UNCC. He is a season ticket holder and everything. He once told me (before they had played a down), that their stadium would seat 50k and they would have an invitation into the SEC in hand by 2018. I told him he was effin' nuts. He won't answer my questions about the niners anymore. Wonder why?

I'll take a crack... He's in the nut house!

[WVAPPeer]

We may still have some closet UNC and NCSU fans, but if you had told me (back in the 80's - I know - ancient history) I would come back to ASU and see all the cars and students with Mountaineer gear on I wouldn't have believed you. Boone is, no doubt, ASU territory!

Around here in Eastern Guilford and Alamance Counties we see more APP stickers, etc., than any other college other than the holes - it wasn't like that 5-10 years ago